Originally Posted by
Alc123 
Yes I did it cold turkey without knowing at all what alcohol withdrawal is. I just thought I would quit. Went a whole month without it but had a panic attack and sleep paralysis every single night. Btw I also suffer from clinical depression and she said it might be alcohol withdrawal and to try to taper by half instead of go cold turkey and said that If I experienced bad symptoms to come back.
Are you in the UK? In the US I don't think tapering is recommended. I'd go back for sure if I had bad symptoms. They have meds to help.
If you would have stuck with the sobriety the symptoms would have died down in time, not necessarily in a month, though. I had a lot of discomfort, anxiety, jumpiness and fear in the first few months. The panic attacks are pretty common, I had to talk myself off a few ledges in early days. I've heard others talk of the sleep paralysis.
I'd say get off as soon as possible and then keep coming to this site or go to AA or some other meetings or counseling in order to get through the next difficult few months.
It's not easy and there are dues to be paid in the way of sleeplessness, increased anxiety, depression, and other symptoms - BUT that will get better with continuous sobriety.